Review by In Your Ear RecordsProvidence RI USA This beautiful album from 1971 came at a time when the first wave of
singer-songwriters had hit the charts. "Take Heart" is closer to the style of,
say, Cat Stevens' first A&M albums than the folk music that Farina had performed with
her husband Richard in the early 'sixties. "Take Heart"'s appeal is in its
understated mood, Jans' and Farina's sympatico vocal styles and their gorgeous twin folk
guitar picking (especially on tracks like the lead-off, "Carolina"). The album
includes Mimi's tribute to Janis Joplin, "In The Quiet Morning".August
2001

an aside:I always though "Carolina" was about the State, but one story tells of a
girl friend called Caroline who broke Tom's heart .... "he looked right into her eyes
and dedicated the song to her, she melted and went backstage", "..... but it
didn't work out ...."

Note: I was given a test
pressing of this album. (The pressing doesn't contain any out-takes or extra tracks.) It
was pressed by COLUMBIA RECORDS TERRE HAUTE IND. As the album was put out on A&M, I
wonder why the test pressing is on Columbia ?

Tom's father told that Tom met Elvis Presley on a train near Nashville,
and subsequently Elvis recorded Loving Arms.

Champion has been found. A copy was discovered in a second hand record
shop in Hiroshima Japan; several of Tom Jans' friends and colleagues
have retained their own personal copy, it has recently been on sale at
ebay, and once, a long time ago it was on remainder at Tower Records in
Philadelphia !

1971 Good god, I'm feeling fine / Reach out A&M 1339-ssingles released to promote Take Heart

1973 Loving Arms / Shine it On (Jans/Barry)
A&M 1496-ssingle released as a preview to Tom Jans

1974 Margarita (edited) / Green Riversingle taken from Tom Jans

1974 A&M New Faces no 4
4 track EP running at 33 rpm issued in Brazil AMD 10025
margarita / loving arms / old time feeling / free and easy
(timings are exactly the same as on Tom Jans
)

1975 Struggle in Darkness (edited) /
title not known

1975 Once before I die / title not knowntwo singles taken from The Eyes of an Only Child

1976 Why don't you love me / Finelinesingle taken from Dark Blonde: released in Holland CBS5270

"Your baby is a lady" (Jackie de Shannon)A rumoured recording. No date or record label information available.This song was also recorded by Rita Coolidge and Stephanie De-Sykes as well as Jackie de Shannon herself.

1975 SouthboundHoyt Axtonreissued on Hoyt Axton "The A&M Years". Sleeve notes by John Tobler, but no specific details of personnel;
so I'm
still not sure on which songs Tom sings. Digitally remastered A&M 540-956-2 (although my copy seems to have some distortion)

1977 Just a stone's throw awayValerie Carter
Tom Jans plays on three tracks:
"just where I could be used I guess,
I wasn't on City Lights, that's for sure". - Tom Jans 1977

1977 Bareback Richard Torrance
"TenderMemory" is covered on this album. I have been told that Tom Jans played on this recording.

198010k-La Don Grusin
Tom Jans sings lead vocal and backup with Valerie Carter
on "Mongolia" which was written by Grusin-Jans

Compilations
This is the only reference I have seen to a compilation
album which includes a Tom Jans recording:
Add Some Music To Your Day - vol 5
Track 12 Gotta Move
listed at http://ww2.enjoy.ne.jp/~nagaoka1970/newpage6.htm
in July 2007 an out of print white label promo LP was advertised on ebay
"...played only a couple of times for review. cover has discolored a bit
from age and not mint. Includes Tower Of Power , Tyrone Davis ,
Jon Lucien , Wah Wah Watson , Tommy Bolin (Post Toastee), Chip Taylor ,
Tom Jans , Willie Nelson , Tony Bird and Rusty Weir."

CoversLoving Arms has been recorded by so many different artistes "including my
fave rave Elvis"- Tom Jans 1977Unrecorded Songsthere are titles listed giving Thomas Louis Jans
or Tom Jans as author. I have not heard these songs, nor have I seen the lyrics in print.

photo credit: tom sheehan
London 20th May 1977
(tom, please get in touch if I should pay a royalty for the use of the photographs)